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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28750491">a mischief of mice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lothpup/pseuds/lothpup'>lothpup</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family Fluff, Gen, kallus is a dork, m(ou)se droid might be the best pun I've thought of this year, your honour I love these idiots sm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:42:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28750491</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lothpup/pseuds/lothpup</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kallus likes to fix up droids. The spectre kids and their big cat brother like to make terrible jokes. Mischief ensues.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>The Ghost Crew &amp; Kallus | ISB-021</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a mischief of mice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>First time posting fic for rebels, I love these dorks very muchly.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Giggling, as Alexsandr Kallus has come to find out rather swiftly, is never a good sign when one is onboard the <em>Ghost</em>. The sounds of the youngest spectres snickering somewhere just out of sight are far from the sweet, innocent noises of the young ones finding joy. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He almost regrets sitting in the very corner of the main room, the cabins where the culprits are up to whatever they’re up to are. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>That giggling is a terrible omen, a harbinger of doom, the crack of thunder just before a terrible storm. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s particularly a bad sign when he has so many transport logs to finish combing through that Draven expects done by morning. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Each peal of laughter only serves to heighten his dread. And perhaps the sneaking curiosity at what exactly today’s antics are that have prompted such giggling. It isn’t the most common sound and certainly wasn’t common in all his years under the Empire. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The moment he hears the hearty gruff belly-deep chuckle of Garazeb he knows this is going to go spectacularly awful. For him most likely. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, we’re not done with them, and no you can’t throw them in the trash! <em>Chopper</em>!” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper passes by <em>very quickly</em>, paint in a calico of colours splattered across the droid. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Following Chopper is the chorus of impending disaster. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If he weren’t so apprehensive thinking of all the potential things those loth rats were up to he’d be quite impressed with their hyena impressions. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, Kallus,” Ezra emerges first, hands clasped suspiciously behind his back. Trying very hard and failing spectacularly to hide his grin. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Whatever you lot are up to back there, I don’t want to know,” Kallus answers quickly, turning back to his datapad. And having to re-read the same line for the fourth time over. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Up to something? Us? We’re not up to something, are we, Sabine?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sabine peeks around the corner next, not even trying to hide her smirk, “No, I don’t believe we are. We would <em>never</em> be up to something. Not us. Couldn’t be.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zeb following Ezra into the main room with his ears forward and eyes gleaming is most definitely never, ever a good sign. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh look,” Zeb starts, the words clearly rehearsed. “I wonder how those mice got in here!” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sabine scans the ship, looking at nothing in particular. “Mice? What mice–” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh no! Mice, on the Ghost? Whatever will we do?!” Ezra collapses back against the wall with all the dramatic grace of loth cat tumbling over. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kallus is about to snap at them to knock off whatever this game is when he hears the telltale squeak of one of his MSE droids. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although, it seems to be more of an actual mouse now. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The brown-white-and-black splashed across Chopper earlier makes more sense now. Complete with felt ears, a tiny tail, and drawn on mouse-face the poor thing is no longer the burnished grey of metal but bright patches of golden brown-and-white. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first one isn’t alone. The other two are painted one grey, and the other black-and-white. The same little ears stuck on top, same little faces complete with whiskers, and the most ridiculous tail stuck to the back. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Looks like a real <em>mischief</em> of mice in here,” Ezra beams, gesturing at their handiwork. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It takes a long time for him to find any words, because of any possible outcomes this wasn’t one of them. MSE droid. But now they are mice. Ordinarily, anyone messing with whatever droid he’s working on would get harsh words, but then the thought occurs to him: he’s been included in their family pranks. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’s no stranger to them, but usually as a bystander caught in the crossfire. He’s heard the infamous tale of Chopper pulling the support bolts from Ezra’s bunk, the moment painted on their cabin wall. Besides that, usually, it involves someone stealing something and ends with Chopper trying to electrocute someone else. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the actual kriff.”  It’s the most eloquent thing he can put together. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mouse? Mice? Get it?” Ezra prompts. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sabine checks him a little harder than necessary, hissing at him that it’s not funny if he has to explain it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Pancake.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s the spectres’ turn to look at him strangely. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I had a pet mouse as a child. A cream mouse, named Pancake. Well, pet might be a loose term when it was more I fed this wild mouse who lived under the kitchen sink.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ezra hums thoughtfully, his expression flickering. “You know, you never struck me as the type for pets.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And that means what, exactly?” Kallus scolds himself internally at the sharpness of his tone, he's going to accomplish anything getting defensive about this child's comments.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It means it’s good. You aren’t completely soul-crushingly evil or anything.”   </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ezra, has anyone told you to think before you say stupid things?” Zeb growls, knocking Ezra’s shoulder. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank you... I think,” Kallus nods, still not quite sure what’s happening and why. If they were trying to annoy him off their ship, he’s more puzzled than anything. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So you like it or not? Look, we spent way too long and I invested way too much of my good paint for you to look like a bird who hit a window,"  Sabine stares at Kallus expectantly, one hand on her hip in a way that’s eerily similar to Hera. "No Ezra, you can't throw him through glass again. It's my turn next time," she chirps anticipating Ezra's next works at the mention of a window.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kallus is never going to hear the end of that. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, no, I mean- It’s very… cute.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sabine, seemingly happy with the reply grins. “All I needed to hear. C’mon Ezra, we better go see where Hera and Kanan snuck off to.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The pair skip off down the ramp, Ezra’s voice carrying. “<em>He said the word cute, are you sure this is the same guy</em>?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You really had a mouse called <em>Pancake</em>?” Zeb snorts once the kids are gone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, I was hardly going to call him something ridiculous like Kitchen Scrub-brush was I?” The reply comes out entirely too fast, and entirely too high pitched to be composed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Easy tiger, ‘m not insulting your childhood mouse’s honour.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is going on the list of things I’m never going to hear the end of isn’t it?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zeb just laughs, nudging Kallus’ shoulder, “Nope. Not a chance. Fearsome warrior Kallus, and his loyal pet… Pancake the Mouse who Lives Under his Sink.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kallus groans, turning his head away to try hide the flush across his cheeks, “He just really liked pancakes.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, you gonna name these ones after food too?” Zeb looks at the m(ou)se droids. “If not, I vote you call one Kitchen Scrub-brush. Maybe the grey one, that one looks the most ridiculous.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If nothing, the new paint jobs prompt a lengthy and loud debate that night between all the spectres over what the droids are to be called. Chopper seems insistent on one being called words Kallus isn’t sure even teenagers should be hearing. Zeb votes loudly for Kitchen Scrub-brush, and Kallus’ flustered attempts at other names only egg the spectres on. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the first time, he doesn’t feel like he’s on the outside looking in on the family. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(And, if he's is able to use the distraction to get Pancake the Second from his pocket back to his quarters unnoticed, well he’s not going to complain about that either).</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fun fact: a group of mice is actually called a mischief!</p>
<p>Let me know what you think, hopefully, I'll be writing some more soon! Come chat with me @lothpup on tumblr! Also, Pancake is my new favourite character. Please appreciate Pancake the mouse.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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